12.04 on a HP Mini110-3518CL?

[ScottyK]

I have a HP Mini Netbook and I would like to put 12.04 on it once it comes out. Below are the specs, and I'd like your opinion if you think the hardware is too little, just right, too much to run 12.04!

Intel Atom N455 @ 1.666GHz
2 GB DDR3 RAM
Hitachi 256GB HD (pretty sure it's 5400 RPM, but could be wrong)
Video - whatever is onboard.

[SteveRiley]

The Atom N4xx includes GMA 3150, which Intel Linux Graphics says is supported. So at least we know that.

I've run various flavors of *buntu on my Mini 2140, which is similar to the 110. If it has Broadcom wireless LAN, then you might be in for a bit of a ride: despite general Broadcom improvements, I always had to struggle with that thing. Eventually I ripped it out and replaced it with an Intel 3945 mini PCI card. Had to find a hacked BIOS, though, because the BIOS is hardcoded to require the Broadcom card.

I'd suggest installing kubuntu-low-fat-settings. KWin will most likely croak trying to get desktop effects to run on the underpowered 3150. Oh, and if you happen to have a spare SSD littering your hardware drawer, swap that in for the existing hard drive. Best upgrade you can do to these little netbooks.

[ScottyK]

Steve -

Forgot to mention that I ripped out the stock Broadcom wifi card and installed an Intel one. Can't remember the exact model number though. Also did the hacked BIOS route, and somebody from our very own KFN walked me through the process (thanks to whoever it was!)

SSID, didn't think of that, Off to check out Newegg!!

[wizard10000]

...Forgot to mention that I ripped out the stock Broadcom wifi card and installed an Intel one. Can't remember the exact model number though. Also did the hacked BIOS route, and somebody from our very own KFN walked me through the process (thanks to whoever it was!)

You're welcome

I have no trouble running 11.10 with KDE 4.8 on an HP Mini 110 with an Atom N270. Desktop effects work fine on what I believe is an Intel 945 video chipset.

I've relegated the Mini 110 to kitchen computer duty and moved the Intel card to my laptop and put the Broadcom card back in the netbook. I bought an off-lease Dell Latitude D430 (2GB RAM, 1,33GHz real Core2Duo, 12.1 inch screen) and it runs circles around the netbook. Finding a 1.8" IDE SSD was a bit of a challenge but I found one - and recommend using an SSD to perk up just about any netbook.

Don't go overboard on the SSD for the netbook, though - as I'm almost positive the disk controller in your netbook will only do 1.5GBps SATA; so the absolute maximum theoretical transfer rate is 150mb/sec. I've never got the one in my netbook much over 120 although the SSD's capable of more than twice that speed.

[SteveRiley]

I have no trouble running 11.10 with KDE 4.8 on an HP Mini 110 with an Atom N270. Desktop effects work fine on what I believe is an Intel 945 video chipset.

Exactly what's in my Mini 2140, but desktop effects grind the thing to such a crawl that, by comparison, a snail would appear to be moving close to the speed of light.

[vw72]

I'm running Kubuntu 12.04 beta 2 on an Asus eeepc with half the ram and a slower atom processor and it works just fine. I'm not sure about the wifi card you swapped out, but if it works running from the live cd, it should work installed.

EDIT: on the netbook, I tend to run the kde netbook plasma interface instead of the standard desktop one.

[ScottyK]

On the "low Fat settings", is it possible to turn it back off, or restore to the default, in case I decide to return to the original settings?

[SteveRiley]

The package introduces a number of configuration changes. You can learn more about the specifics on Claydoh's blog and the Kubuntu wiki. I don't know of a single "low-fat-off" operation, but those posts should help you understand how to undo the low-fat changes.

[wizard10000]

Exactly what's in my Mini 2140, but desktop effects grind the thing to such a crawl that, by comparison, a snail would appear to be moving close to the speed of light.

IIRC the problem was narrowed down to a single effect that slowed everything down. Now all I have to remember is which effect it was

[wizard10000]

@Steve - I think it was the fade effect that made these machines run like crap. Could be wrong, though.

[ScottyK]

Right now I'm running with the default settings, and it seems to be running fine. I'm going to keep the "low fat" settings on the back burner just in case.

Curious if this computer will have the same problems with graphics?

[wizard10000]

The effect most blamed for a slowdown in graphics seems to be 'blur'.

Yup. That was it.

[SteveRiley]

Right about blur... When I disabled that on my Mini, the overall graphics experience improved somewhat. But the last time that thing saw Kubuntu/KDE was during Natty. I'm sure the improvements made in Intel graphics and in KDE will help the Mini perform better.

[wizard10000]

That and overclocking the graphics chipset

http://www.gmabooster.com/download.htm

The Windows version is donationware, the Linux version is freeware.

...However, if You have own a laptop/netbook/nettop computer built on Intel® 945GM/GME/GMS or GSE943/940GML/GU Express chipset, the above statements may not be truth for You. These all chipsets are LV (low voltage) versions of what we normally call Intel® 945. Thus, integrated graphics core has been underclocked dramatically: 166/133 MHz instead of 400 MHz (default GMA clock in a "normal" Intel® 945 chipset). But the truth is, the indicated devices could handle up to 400 MHz with ease: at a nominal low voltage, without the loss of system stability, and with minimal to none impact on thermal specifications/battery life (proven by preliminary testing).

[SteveRiley]

Neat find! I wonder how that would work with the Android 4.0 currently installed on my Mini. I'll have to check...but later, I'm too lazy to go downstairs and get it now